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Director of Student Success Initiatives

Oregon Community College Association | Salem, Oregon | Full-time, Exempt | $90,000-$100,000 annually

The Oregon Community College Association (OCCA) is seeking a strategic, collaborative, and equity-minded leader to serve as its next Director of Student Success Initiatives. This role leads OCCA's Student Success Center work and helps advance statewide strategies that improve student outcomes across Oregon's 17 community colleges.

The Director will work closely with community college leaders, student leaders, the OCCA Board, the Oregon Presidents Council, state partners, and funders to strengthen student success policy, elevate student voices, support evidence-based practice, and connect statewide collaboration to meaningful results for students.

This is an opportunity for a mission-driven professional who understands community colleges, values public service, and is energized by work that blends strategy, policy, partnerships, data, and hands-on implementation in a small statewide association.

About OCCA

Founded in 1962, OCCA represents Oregon's 17 publicly chartered community colleges and their locally elected boards. OCCA works at the intersection of public policy, advocacy, institutional leadership, student success, and statewide collaboration, providing a unified voice for community colleges before policymakers and partners whose decisions affect students, colleges, and communities across Oregon.

About the Role

The Director of Student Success Initiatives provides statewide leadership for OCCA's student success work. The position coordinates with colleges and partners to support shared student success goals, advance equitable outcomes, strengthen transfer and completion efforts, and ensure that student experiences help shape policy and practice.

The successful candidate will be a thoughtful strategist, strong communicator, and trusted relationship-builder who can move comfortably between statewide leadership and practical implementation.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead statewide strategy and coordination for OCCA's Student Success Center and related student success initiatives.
• Convene college leaders, practitioners, students, and statewide partners around shared goals for access, equity, retention, completion, transfer, and student outcomes.
• Build strong partnerships with the Oregon Community College Student Association and other student leaders to elevate student voice in policy, advocacy, and implementation.
• Support student-success-focused policy development, legislative engagement, issue analysis, and advocacy strategies.
• Translate data, research, and program outcomes into clear recommendations, reports, presentations, and communications for varied audiences.
• Support grant writing, funder relationships, grant management, sustainability planning, and resource development related to student success work.
• Work with OCCA leadership and the OCCA Board DEI Committee to support learning, training, and resources that strengthen board understanding of equity and student success.

To review the full job description, visit this link:  https://occa17.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Director-of-SS-Initiatives-PD_2026_FINAL-website.pdf

Key Dates 

• Best consideration deadline: July 15, 2026, 11:59 p.m. PST
• Screening begins: July 16, 2026
• Anticipated interview period: Week of July 27, 2026
• Anticipated start date: September 1, 2026, or as negotiated

Minimum Qualifications

Candidates should bring the following required qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in a field related to the responsibilities of the position.
• At least five years of relevant professional experience in education, student success, student services, public policy, nonprofit leadership, or a closely related field.
• Experience developing, leading, or supporting programs, policies, partnerships, or initiatives designed to improve student outcomes.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills, including the ability to work effectively with students, college leaders, policymakers, funders, and community partners.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, student voice, and improved outcomes for underrepresented and non-traditional students.

Preferred Qualifications

Competitive candidates may also bring one or more of the following:

• Master's degree in higher education, public policy, education leadership, public administration, student affairs, or a related field.
• Experience working in or with community colleges, particularly in Oregon or another statewide/system-level setting.
• Experience with policy development or statewide advocacy.
• Experience preparing grant proposals, developing grant-related materials, and supporting funder reporting or stewardship activities.
• Experience working directly with student organizations, student leaders, grant-funded programs, or education-focused funding initiatives.
• Experience using data, research, and evaluation findings to guide strategy, reporting, and continuous improvement.

Work Environment, Compensation, and Benefits

This is a full-time, salaried, exempt position based in Salem, Oregon. The role requires periodic statewide travel for meetings, conferences, legislative activities, and partner convenings, with limited overnight travel within Oregon and nationally.

The salary range is $90,000 to $100,000 annually, depending on experience and qualifications. OCCA offers a competitive benefits package, including health insurance through the Public Employees Benefit Board (PEBB), with employer-paid medical, dental, and vision premiums up to a monthly contribution cap; life, disability, and related insurance; employer-paid contributions to Paid Leave Oregon; Public Employee Retirement System (PERS) membership when eligible, with employees responsible for the 6 percent employee contribution; 13 paid holidays; generous vacation and sick leave; professional development; and hybrid work flexibility, subject to approval.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should submit the following materials to Katie Archambault, Director of Operations, at katie@occa17.com:

• Resume.
• Cover letter describing relevant experience, interest in the position, and alignment with the qualifications.
• Three professional references.

Applications missing any of the listed required documents may be considered incomplete and ineligible for further review.

The position will remain open until filled. Applications received after July 15, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. PST are not guaranteed review.

Equal Opportunity

OCCA is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. If your background does not align perfectly with every qualification, we still encourage you to apply.

Candidates requiring accommodation or assistance during the hiring process may contact Human Resources at 503-399-9912. Finalists may be required to show proof of eligibility to work in the United States. Degrees must be from an accredited institution recognized by the Office of Degree Authorization, U.S. Department of Education, as required by ORS 348.609.